Does My Cat Need Professional Grooming? - Don't They Self Groom?
All cat owners can collectively agree that having a cat is more like having a roommate than a child. Put out a litter box, and they take care of their own business; stock up their food and a bowl of water and they’ll wander around and come to snack and eat meals as and when they’re hungry; one does not even have to bother with bi-weekly baths, because cats are excellent self-groomers. They are extremely concerned about how they look, and a speck of dirt can lead them to hours of fur-licking.
This is why many believe a cat can go through their entire life without a single cleaning session.
But unfortunately, Cat grooming does not simply mean cleaning one’s fur. There are several other grooming steps that are often ignored by cat parents and disregarded as unnecessary and not important, which can in turn give rise to several health issues in later years.
*Anal glands are two small pouches located on either side of your cat’s anus. Anal Gland Expressing is the process of cleaning these glands.
While a bath is something that we can give our cats at home, anyone who’s ever had a cat (and has tried to bathe it) would know how harrowing of a process it is. A professional groomer would know how to handle a cat from experience. They also come with the necessary support that is required if and when a cat starts acting out and gets violent.
Pet parents have a history of getting violently scratched by their baby kitties during bath time, so this is one thing that is better to be left to the professionals.
Along with the customary cleaning, professional grooming includes nail care, ears and eyes cleaning, and anal gland expressing. These are services that in most cases cannot be provided by a paw parent. Cats have retractable claws, therefore trying to cut their nails at home becomes a huge risk, until and unless you’re a practised professional.
Similarly, there are techniques attached to cleaning a cat’s eyes and ears without harming them, which can be only achieved by a professional groomer.
Given that many people are not aware that the anal glands of cats and dogs need to be expressed and cleaned, and that is a fairly unclean process, it is better to let a professional take care of it.
When a cat is licking their fur, it is not even cleaning, as much as removing dust. Moreover, because they are so fastidious about their appearance, these licking sessions can go on for hours, which automatically increases their chances of forming and coughing up hairballs.
Taking them to a professional groomer once in a while, keeps them cleaner on a regular basis, thus reducing their need to groom themselves, in turn reducing the accumulation of hairballs.
Not all cats require haircuts, for example, sphinx cats. However, if you are a parent to a Persian, a Maincoon, a Himalayan Bobtail or any other long-haired cat, a haircut or hair trimming, now and then, is an essential part of their grooming routine.
Sometimes even a paw parent might not be aware of what your cat needs. Professional groomers bring forth their expert advice and opinions, and can often guide owners on schedules and veterinary requirements, along with providing additional support in keeping your pet healthy.
Cats are notoriously anxious creatures. Unlike dogs, they are not easy to make friends with. It is a task and an achievement when one becomes friends with a cat. Your groomer should be a person who is not just skilled in their profession, but also a cat lover. This can be evident by how comfortable your cat is in letting their groomers touch them. A good groomer comes with all the techniques of becoming friends with a cat, easing their nervousness and helping your cat get comfortable and playful.
When a cat is being groomed by a professional, they are not just aiming to clean the cat from nose to tail, but they are also constantly looking for bumps and other anomalies that can be missed by a person unaware of what these look/feel like.
